Castro comes up big in 11-4 series-opening win over Angels

Newly-acquired C Jason Castro smacked a double in the top of the eighth to beak a 3-3 tie with the Angels before the Padres (23-15) went on to score a whopping eight runs in the inning, sealing a 11-4 victory over the Angels (12-25) in the series opener at Angel Stadium on Wednesday night.

After CF Mike Trout began the third inning with a two-run homer for the game’s first points, Jurickson Profar answered on the opposite side of the break to tie the game at 2-2. A double by Albert Pujols in the fourth brought the lead back to the Angels until Profar hit a sac fly in the top of the sixth to equalize things once more.

Then came Castro’s big double in the eighth. That was followed by Fernando Tatis Jr. getting walked with the bases loaded, which scored Castro, and then a single by Manny Machado and a three-run deep shot by Hosmer completed the crescendo of points to give San Diego it’s eight-run lead heading into the final inning.

SS Andrelton Simmons recorded the final run for the Angels on a base hit, making him one of only two Angels (Trout) to record multiple hits on the night.

Dinelson Lamet worked a little over six innings, striking out six and allowing five hits and three runs. L.A.’s Julio Tehera pitched five innings with two Ks, three hits allowed and two runs.

Both Hosmer and Profar finished with three RBIs on the night while being two of the four Padres with multiple hits on the evening.

The Padres are back at Angel Stadium this afternoon at 4:10pm with Mike Clevinger (1-1) getting his first start as a Friar. He’ll face left-hander Andrew Heaney (2-2).